Device for cleaning golf tees



P 1952 L. R. MAETZOLD 3,055,029

DEVICE FOR CLEANING GOLF TEES Filed Dec. 19, 1960 INVENTOR.

AT TQRNEYQ United This invention relates generally to brushing andcleaning devices, and more particularly it relates to a device forcleaning golf tees.

Generally speaking, this invention includes a pair of levers pivotallyconnected for angular movements with respect to one another, one of thelevers defining a golf tee holder adapted to receive and support a golftee in position to be brushed and cleaned by the brush carrying housingdefined by the other of the levers.

An object of this invention is the provision of a device for cleaninggolf tees in which the golf tee to be cleaned may be easily held inposition to be cleaned by the gripping action of one hand while thecleaning brushes are manually actuated by the users other hand.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a cleaning devicefor golf tees in which the brushes and other moving mechanism aregenerally enclosed within a housing so as to greatly reduce thepossibility of any scufiing contact with the hands of the user.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a cleaning devicefor golf tees which is compact and may therefore be easily carried onthe person of the user, which is easy to use, and with which aneffective cleaning action is obtained.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a devicefor cleaning golf tees which is of extremely simple construction andwhich is capable of functioning efiiciently for quickly cleaning golftees.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed specification, appendedclaims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicatelike parts or elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a View in side elevation of my invention, some parts beingbroken away and some parts shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof as seen from the right end ofFIG. 1 and showing a portion of my invention in another position bybroken lines;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and alsoshowing a portion of my invention in another position by broken lines;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1, some partsbeing broken away; and

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG.2, some parts being broken away.

Referring with a greater particularity to the drawings, the referencenumeral 1 represents generally a golf tee, which comprises a headportion 2 and a depending shank portion 3, and the reference numeral 4represents in its entirety the cleaning device which comprises thepresent invention. The cleaning device 4 comprises a first lever 5 and asecond lever 6. The first lever 5 defines a slotted end 7 which isadapted to receive the tab defining end 8 of the second lever 6, thesame being pivotally connected together by means of the pivot pin 9 forangular movements thereof about the pivotal connection therebetween.

The other end of the first lever 5 defines a generally flat tongue 10which is generally perpendicular to the axis of the pivotal connectionbetween the first and second levers 5, 6. Also, the first lever 5defines adjacent its tongue defining end a holder portion 11 which isadapted to receive and dispose a golf tee 1 with its longitudinal axisin general parallelism with the axis of the rates Farent pivot pin 9.The holder portion 11 comprises a circular generally frusto-conicalaperture 12 which is adapted to so receive the golf tee 1 that the lowershank portion 3 thereof will be disposed on the lower side of the firstlever 5 and the head portion 2 of the golf tee will be disposed on theupper side of the first lever 5.. It is noted that the terms upper andlower are used for ease of explanation, and are not intended to belimitation upon the disclosure of my invention since the same mayobviously be used in any desired position.

In accordance with my invention, a generally box-like housing,represented generally by the reference numeral 13, is defined at thefree end of the second lever 6 in generally spaced relation to theholder portion 11 defined by the first lever 5. It is noted that thefirst and second levers 5, 6 and the housing 13 may be formed from arigid material such as metal or plastic, and are preferably formed by amolding process, in which case the housing 13 may be integrally formedwith the second lever 6. The housing 13 comprises spaced generallyparallel side walls 14, 15 which extend generally transversely onopposite sides of and generally normal to the longitudinal aXis of thesecond lever 6. The housing 13 also comprises a top wall 16, and abot-tom wall 17, the front and back of the housing 13 being open so asto define a recess therein. Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, across-sectionally generally square lower shaft 18 is journalled withinthe lower portion of the housing 13 for rotation about an aXis generallyparallel to and spaced in a downward direction from the longitudinalaxis of the second lever 6. The lower shaft 18 is provided with hearinginserts l9, and a crank 2t rigidly secured to one end of the shaft 18adjacent the side wall 14- of the housing 1.3, the shaft 18 being heldin position by means of a cap screw 21 and a nut 22 disposed on theopposite ends of the shaft 18. A pair of cooperating wheel brushes 23,24 are secured to the lower shaft 18 in axially spaced relation to oneanother for rotation with the lower shaft 18. The wheel brushes 23, 24are separated by a spacing tube 25, and also define generally squareaxially extending apertures 23', 24' which receive the square shaft 18.The wheel brushes 23, 24 also define opposed inwardly directed bristles28.

A cross-sectionally generally square upper shaft 29 is journalled withinthe upper portion of the housing 13 for rotation about an axis which isgenerally parallel to the axis of the lower shaft 18 and which is spacedin an upward direction from the longitudinal axis of the second lever 6.The upper shaft 29 is also journalled within a pair of bearing inserts30 and is secured within the housing 13 against axial displacement bymeans of a pair of nut assemblies 31. A generally cylindrical rollerbrush, represented generally by the reference numeral 32, and havingradially outwardly directed bristles 33, is secured to the upper shaft29 for rotation therewith. The roller brush 32 defines an axialextending generally square bore 34 which receives the upper shaft 29 soas to secure the brush 32 to the shaft 29. For the purpose of impartingrotation to the upper shaft 29 upon the rotation of the lower shaft 18by means of the manual cranking thereof, a gear train is disposedgenerally intermediate the upper and lower shafts 29, 18. The gear traincomprises a lower circular gear 35 which defines an axially extendingsquare recess 36 therein for reception on a square hub 37 defined on thewheel brush 24 so as to secure the lower gear 35 to the wheel brush 24for rotation therewith. The gear train further comprises an intermediategear 38 which is secured to the side wall 15 of the housing 13 by meansof a stud 39 for rotation thereon and for meshing engagement with thelower gear 35. Also, an upper circular gear 40 is disposed in meshingengagement with the intermediate gear 38 and is received on the uppershaft 29 for imparting rotation thereto upon the rotation of the lowershaft 18. It is noted that the upper gear 40 is separated from theroller brush 32 by means of a tubular spacer 41.

Having specifically described my invention, the operative simplicitythereof should be easily understandable; however, the operation of myinvention might be briefly set forth. After placing the golf tee l whichis to be cleaned within the holder portion 11 of the first lever 5, thelevers 5, 6 are pivotally moved with respect to one another between anopen position in angularly spaced relation to one another and a closedcleaning position wherein the golf tee 1 is received within the recessdefined by the housing 13. It is noted that when said levers 5, 6 aredisposed in said closed position, the tongue it defined by the firstlever is received Within a slot 42 defined in the side wall 14 of thehousing 13. Thereupon, the lower shank portion 3 of the golf tee l isreceived intermediate the bristles 28 of the wheel brushes 23, 24 so asto be in brushing contact therewith, and the upper head portion 2 of thegolf tee l is disposed below the upper shaft 29 in brushing contact withthe roller brush 32 so as to clean the golf tee ll upon the manualrotation of the lower and upper shafts l8, 2% upon the cranking of thecrank It should be obvious that the golf tee 1 may be held in brushingcontact with the brushes 23, 24, 32 by the manual gripping of the firstand second levers 5, 6 with one of the users hands while the cleaningdevice 4 is being operated by the rotation of the crank 2%.

This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while Ihave shown and described above a preferred embodiment thereof in whichthe principles of the present invention have been incorporated; I wishit to be specifically understood that the same may be modified withoutdeparture from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for cleaning golf tees comprising a pair of cooperatinglevers pivotally connected at one end for angular movements thereofabout said pivotal connection, one of said levers defining :a holderportion adjacent its other end which is adapted to receive and dispose agolf tee with its longitudinal axis in general parallelism with the axisof pivotal connection between said levers and with its lower shankportion disposed on the lower side of said lever and its head portiondisposed on the upper side thereof, a generally box-like housing definedat the other end of the other of said levers in spaced relation to saidholder portion of said one of said levers, said housing defining arecess which opens on the side of said housing adjacent said one of saidlevers, a first shaft mounted within said housing for rotation about anaxis generally parallel to and spaced in a downward direction from thelongitudinal axis of said other lever, means for imparting rotation tosaid first shaft, a pair of cooperating Wheel brushes secured to saidfirst shaft in axially spaced relation to one another for rotation ofsaid brushes upon the rotation of said first shaft, said wheel brusheshaving opposed inwardly directed bristles, a second shaft mounted withinsaid housing for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said firstshaft and spaced in an upward direction from the longitudinal aXis ofthe said other lever, a generally cylindrical roller brush secured tosaid second shaft for rotation therewith and having radially outwardlydirected bristles, and gear means disposed generally intermediate saidfirst and second shafts for imparting rotation to said second shaft uponthe rotation of said first shaft, said levers being pivotally movablewith respect to one another between an open position in angularly spacedrelation to one another and a closed cleaning position wherein said golftee is so received within the recess defined by said housing that saidwheel brushes are in brushing contact with the shank portion of said teeand said roller brush is in brushing contact with the head portion ofsaid tee upon the rotation of said first shaft.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said means for impartingrotation to said first shaft comprises a manually operated crank rigidlysecured to one end of said first shaft and disposed on the opposite sideof said housing from the pivotal connection between said levers.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which the holder portion definedby said one of said levers comprises an enlarged boss on said leverwhich defines an aperture therein for receiving and holding said golftee.

Mellien Aug. 6, 1918 Sutch Ian. 19, 1954

